6 Set up H5375 the standard H5251 toward Zion: H6726 retire, H5756 stay H5975 not: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 from the north, H6828 and a great H1419 destruction. H7667
And the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me the second time, H8145 saying, H559 What seest H7200 thou? And I said, H559 I see H7200 a seething H5301 pot; H5518 and the face H6440 thereof is toward H6440 the north. H6828 Then the LORD H3068 said H559 unto me, Out of the north H6828 an evil H7451 shall break forth H6605 upon all the inhabitants H3427 of the land. H776 For, lo, I will call H7121 all the families H4940 of the kingdoms H4467 of the north, H6828 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 and they shall come, H935 and they shall set H5414 every one H376 his throne H3678 at the entering H6607 of the gates H8179 of Jerusalem, H3389 and against all the walls H2346 thereof round about, H5439 and against all the cities H5892 of Judah. H3063
Declare H5046 ye among the nations, H1471 and publish, H8085 and set up H5375 a standard; H5251 publish, H8085 and conceal H3582 not: say, H559 Babylon H894 is taken, H3920 Bel H1078 is confounded, H3001 Merodach H4781 is broken in pieces; H2865 her idols H6091 are confounded, H3001 her images H1544 are broken in pieces. H2865
How long shall I see H7200 the standard, H5251 and hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet? H7782
O ye children H1121 of Benjamin, H1144 gather yourselves to flee H5756 out of the midst H7130 of Jerusalem, H3389 and blow H8628 the trumpet H7782 in Tekoa, H8620 and set up H5375 a sign H4864 of fire in Bethhaccerem: H1021 for evil H7451 appeareth H8259 out of the north, H6828 and great H1419 destruction. H7667
Set up H5375 the standard H5251 upon the walls H2346 of Babylon, H894 make the watch H4929 strong, H2388 set up H6965 the watchmen, H8104 prepare H3559 the ambushes: H693 for the LORD H3068 hath both devised H2161 and done H6213 that which he spake H1696 against the inhabitants H3427 of Babylon. H894
Set ye up H5375 a standard H5251 in the land, H776 blow H8628 the trumpet H7782 among the nations, H1471 prepare H6942 the nations H1471 against her, call together H8085 against her the kingdoms H4467 of Ararat, H780 Minni, H4508 and Ashchenaz; H813 appoint H6485 a captain H2951 against her; cause the horses H5483 to come up H5927 as the rough H5569 caterpillers. H3218
And afterward, H310 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 I will deliver H5414 Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and his servants, H5650 and the people, H5971 and such as are left H7604 in this city H5892 from the pestilence, H1698 from the sword, H2719 and from the famine, H7458 into the hand H3027 of Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon, H894 and into the hand H3027 of their enemies, H341 and into the hand H3027 of those that seek H1245 their life: H5315 and he shall smite H5221 them with the edge H6310 of the sword; H2719 he shall not spare H2347 them, neither have pity, H2550 nor have mercy. H7355
Behold, I will send H7971 and take H3947 all the families H4940 of the north, H6828 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and Nebuchadrezzar H5019 the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 my servant, H5650 and will bring H935 them against this land, H776 and against the inhabitants H3427 thereof, and against all these nations H1471 round about, H5439 and will utterly destroy H2763 them, and make H7760 them an astonishment, H8047 and an hissing, H8322 and perpetual H5769 desolations. H2723
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 4
Commentary on Jeremiah 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
It should seem that the first two verses of this chapter might better have been joined to the close of the foregoing chapter, for they are directed to Israel, the ten tribes, by way of reply to their compliance with God's call, directing and encouraging them to hold their resolution (v. 1, 2). The rest of the chapter concerns Judah and Jerusalem.
Jer 4:1-2
When God called to backsliding Israel to return (ch. 3:22) they immediately answered, Lord, we return; now God here takes notice of their answer, and, by way of reply to it,
Jer 4:3-4
The prophet here turns his speech, in God's name, to the men of the place where he lived. We have heard what words he proclaimed towards the north (ch. 3:12), for the comfort of those that were now in captivity and were humbled under the hand of God; let us now see what he says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, who were now in prosperity, for their conviction and awakening. In these two verses he exhorts them to repentance and reformation, as the only way left them to prevent the desolating judgments that were ready to break in upon them. Observe,
Jer 4:5-18
God's usual method is to warn before he wounds. In these verses, accordingly, God gives notice to the Jews of the general desolation that would shortly be brought upon them by a foreign invasion. This must be declared and published in all the cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem, that all might hear and fear, and by this loud alarm be either brought to repentance or left inexcusable. The prediction of this calamity is here given very largely, and in lively expressions, which one would think should have awakened and affected the most stupid. Observe,
Jer 4:19-31
The prophet is here in an agony, and cries out like one upon the rack of pain with some acute distemper, or as a woman in travail. The expressions are very pathetic and moving, enough to melt a heart of stone into compassion: My bowels! my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; and yet well, and in health himself, and nothing ails him. Note, A good man, in such a bad world as this is, cannot but be a man of sorrows. My heart makes a noise in me, through the tumult of my spirits, and I cannot hold my peace. Note, The grievance and the grief sometimes may be such that the most prudent patient man cannot forbear complaining.
Now, what is the matter? What is it that puts the good man into such agitation? It is not for himself, or any affliction in his family that he grieves thus; but it is purely upon the public account, it is his people's case that he lays to heart thus.